Tendencies of becoming a Timelord
by silversurfer60
Summary: Sequel to 'Alec Hardy and the Doctor's son' the story continues when two years later, Rose and Alec have settled down and got married, Alec has adopted her son but things don't go smoothly when at the age of six, John is showing tendencies of becoming like his real father and Alec doesn't take it very well.
1. Chapter 1

Rose and Alec had settled down to married life in Broadchurch. Alec had adopted Rose's son John and so far, the boy had got away with school medicals, his records having been carefully worded by Owen Harper and everyone at the new school he'd started was aware who John Hardy was – the son of Rose Tyler, the Vitex heiress.

Rose had dropped him off at school every morning until she couldn't drive any more, being six months pregnant with hers and Alec's first child together so now it fell on Alec to have to be at work five minutes late to make sure John went in with all the rest of his class. John had made many friends and was very popular, being made a school councillor just after his sixth birthday and was always talking about he was soon going to be having a new baby brother or sister to play with.

Alec had tried to explain to the young boy it would be quite a while before the baby would be old enough to play, John thinking as soon as it was in the house it would be up and around, to which both he and Rose had laughed at his impatience.

Rose still had three months to go, they had delayed planning to have their first child together due to the shocking revelation of who had killed Danny Latimer and then having to wait for the hearing and subsequent trial six months later. Rose had attended the trial with Alec when she could but things had got awkward when he was accused of having an affair with Ellie when he'd been living with Rose and John all the while so Rose had got an injunction against the defence team forcing her to back down or face charges herself but the press had been overjoyed.

Alec had handled it better than Rose but it put a strain on them and at one point, Alec thought Rose was going to pack up and take John back to London with her but she'd stayed and after it had died down, he'd asked her to marry him. John of course, only just turning four hadn't understood and Rose had taken him out of nursery until it all died down as she didn't want the other parents staring and saying things to him or Alec when he'd occasionally gone to pick the boy up. Once they had announced their engagement, things died down.

They had got married in July, a year after Alec had saved the boys life, at the Tyler mansion, Ellie and the boys had gone up for the weekend, John had been pageboy, Ellie had been Rose's matron on honour and Mickey had been Alec's best man and they'd gone on honeymoon by zeppelin to a Spanish resort for couples only for a week. Then, just over a year later, Rose had discovered she was pregnant and they had been over the moon.

Now Alec was sitting at his desk, looking at a photo of his beautiful wife and his adopted son and thinking back how he'd been so fortunate to meet them, under some very unusual circumstances and that his life had been saved at the same time as John's. They had got over all the doubts that the Doctor was ever coming back, it had been a long time and if a gap had been found, then he would have surely got there by now? Over the last few years, Alec had gained full knowledge of Rose's adventures with the Timelord and had never once felt jealous, even when she had told him how they had finally got together and she'd kept the baby a secret from him and how she could have easily have lost it coming to this world but she'd been persistent and kept on, even making the tiring journey to Norway.

His phone rang and he was snapped out of his thoughts.

"I thought we were interviewing that suspect?" came Ellie Miller's voice.

He looked out of the large glass window to see she wasn't at her desk.

"I'll be right down Miller."

He still couldn't bring himself to call her Ellie, only when he remembered in front of John and then Rose had to scowl at him. When they had let the suspect in a fraud attempt go, Ellie switched off the recording equipment.

"You were miles away then, any reason?"

"No, well Rose isn't sleeping very well, I don't like to tell her she's keeping me awake."

"I know, it's a difficult time for her, it won't get any better, you knew what you were signing up for didn't you?"

"Yes, I did, I don't need you to remind me Miller. Well, you'd better go pick up Fred and John then, tell Rose I'll bring something home for dinner and for her just to get John his tea."

The arrangement had been put in place so that Ellie collected John at the same time to save them both leaving early after Rose could no longer go to the school without getting a taxi each day, which Ellie had said wasn't economical since she had to go anyway and could easily drop him at home.

Rose was waiting for her son coming home, he'd grown so much and almost three years after she thought she was going to lose him, he was happy and healthy and she had a husband who loved her more than anything. Her phone rang.

"Hi Alec, has Ellie set off yet?"

"Yes love, she just left. How are you feeling?"

"Yuck, as usual, it's no fun, I'm sure I wasn't as bad with John but I think I know the reason for that."

"Yes, well, that's not the case this time, is it?"

"No and I don't need reminding thanks. I'll just be glad when the baby arrives, we have the scan tomorrow, remember?"

"Yes love, we'll both drop John at school and go straight there. Are we going to find out?"

"Changed your mind have you?" Rose teased him.

"Well, I may have, what about you?"

"I think I'd like a surprise so we really should start picking names for either don't you think?"

"Well if we knew, we'd only have to pick for one or the other love," he laughed.

"Aw, you take all the fun out of it. Ouch!"

"It's going to be a boy Rose, trust me love, with all those kicks, it will be a footballer."

"Nah, it could be a gymnast. See you soon lover."

Once John got home, he was happily doing the bit of homework he'd been given at the kitchen table when Alec came in and ruffled the boy's hair.

"So, what have you got to do for homework today son?"

"We have to do these sums Dad, they're so easy."

Alec looked at them and thought them a bit hard for a six year old to be doing but John was just finishing the last one, Rose looking across at them.

"Well if they are so easy, maybe I can give you some harder ones to do? I'll get you a book tomorrow and we can do them when I get home?"

"Yeah, will you? I love doing sums, my friends don't like them much. We were playing games today, we had to keep catching things, I caught them all the time. Dad, can I play games at home?"

"We play games John, you like playing that game with your mum, you always beat her."

John laughed as Rose came up to them. "Yes you do John, maybe we can get you some more games when we go shopping?"

Rose had set out the food Alec had brought home and John went into the living room to watch a TV programme he liked that both Rose and Alec thought was suitable for him.

"He's growing so fast," Rose mused as she ate.

"Yes and leaning fast, maybe you should get Doctor Harper to take another look at him?"

"Seriously? He's showed no tendencies to be like his real father Alec, not until now, maybe he's just bright?"

"Maybe he is but we should make sure."

"Ok, I'll have Owen come and pay us a visit but I'm sure you're wrong Alec."

Alec hoped he was as well, how would he cope if the boy turned out to be as brilliant as Rose had said John's father was? He was sure Rose was still holding something back from him even after all this time of being together. They had hit it off from the word go three years ago almost, when he'd by some miracle been a match for her son's bone marrow and a lot of good had come out of that search to find a donor and Torchwood were even now still sponsoring a national screening program, set up in John's name.

That had not been the only good thing to come out of it, he'd got himself fixed, married one of the most stunning women he'd met in his life and was the envy of most of the males in the country and now, she was so in love with him that it didn't matter to her what the baby would be because she was just happy it was his.

"I hope I am love but we need to talk because I'm thinking maybe there is something you've not been telling me?"

"What are you on about Alec? You know everything about my life before I came here, what don't you think I've been telling you?"

"Maybe about the Doctor himself? You hardly say anything about who he was, only how brilliant he was. Who was he Rose?"

Rose knew she had been holding back information about John's father, Alec knew the Doctor could regenerate and didn't even look like Alec when she had met him but not the fact Owen thought she still had part of the time vortex in her head, which was partly the reason they were afraid she'd not carry John full term but she had got through it. There would be no such complications with this baby though, well hopefully since Alec was fully human.

Alec was looking at her across the table. She could lose him if she really told him what a Timelord was, that not only did they travel in time but all the other things that even she didn't know a lot about.

"Let's just have the scan tomorrow and if you want, you can find out what we're having but I don't want to know," Rose told him.

"Then if you don't, neither do I love, it's not a contest you know? If you are happy not finding out, so am I. After John has gone to bed, we'll just relax and I'll rub your feet for you eh?"

Alec kept his word and the following morning, Rose had stayed in the car as John held Alec's hand into the school playground and greeted his friends and Alec as usual waited for him going inside. John had been asking about a pet lately, Alec was against the idea and said maybe he would think about a cat or a dog but a dog wasn't practical until after the baby arrived and then, Rose wouldn't want all the extra mess to clean up so Alec was toying with the idea of a rescued dog and was keeping quiet about it.

Rose was on the examination table, having the scan, her second one but Alec still marvelled at the sight of their baby on the screen, he'd never got to see the scans of Daisy. He'd been surprised Daisy was having very little to do with his new family, he thought it would be a novelty to the teenager but that hadn't been the case, she'd only been down a few times and been to the wedding but hadn't wanted to be Rose's bridesmaid. He wondered what his ex had done to turn their daughter like that, it wasn't as though the girl didn't know the truth and he'd been open about his relationship with Rose from the start.

Rose had told him how Tess had only stayed at the hospital until he was in the recovery room, maybe she'd felt intimidated by the Tylers and the fact there were so many people there who cared about her ex husband. The scan was over and he was helping Rose after she tried to clean herself up.

"So, do you want to know this time?" the nurse asked them.

Alec still couldn't understand Rose's reluctance to find out.

"Well I do but my wife doesn't want to so no, we'll pass and just have the scan photo."

Rose smiled at him, she knew he was being tormented at not knowing, especially after he'd told her he'd known about Daisy.

"Alec, why don't you let her tell you?"

"No because when I start to buy things, you'll know, won't you?"

"You could just buy neutral things like we're doing now?"

"It's not the same," he said sadly as they were leaving

Rose saw his face and made her mind up and turned around.

"Nurse, go on then, tell us."


	2. Chapter 2

Alec was delighted to learn he was going to have another daughter, he'd missed so much of Daisy growing up and he was going to more than make up for it. Rose was on the phone to her mother as soon as they got out to the car.

"Well it's about time we had a girl in the family," Jackie said.

"Yeah, I wasn't going to find out but one look at Alec's face made me change my mind."

Alec just smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks love, it means a lot to me and I know it spoiled the surprise but I'll make it up to you," he told her after she got off the phone with her mother.

"Aw, you don't have to make anything up to me Alec, you should know that. Well, maybe you can get John that pet he's been asking you for?"

"Why don't we go to the dog rescue centre this weekend? Just to see how we go about adopting one?"

"Yeah, John will want to bring one home with him though, maybe you should call them first?"

"Yes, maybe I should and call at the pet store on the way back?"

Alec though had other things on his mind. He dropped Rose back home and she reminded him to get a book of sums for John. That got him thinking. He'd noticed recently the boy was getting a lot of good reports from his teachers and none of them mentioned he was way ahead for his age. Maybe bright students were not quite as rare as they used to be?

Something was still bothering him though, the way the boy took interest in things and was asking him questions but not only that, the way he answered when asked something. Was the Timelord part of him coming to light? Rose had tried to explain the best way she could that John was mostly human, she had tried to keep certain facts about John a secret but over time, she had told him and it had made no difference to him but now, well maybe there were things she was holding back such as just how much had John inherited from his biological father.

Rose was resting on the sofa, trying to find something interesting to watch on TV after Alec took her back home when her phone rang and she was surprised to see it was John's school.

"Mrs Hardy? It's Mrs Williams, the head teacher at your son's school. Can we talk for a few moments?"

"Sure, go ahead. Is it about my friend collecting him from school? My husband explained that to John's teacher, since John comes out at the same time as DS Miller's son."

"No, it's not about that and I meant to try and catch your husband earlier but he was already heading back to his car."

"Yeah, I had a scan this morning at the hospital. Is there something wrong?"

"Well not wrong as such I suppose, John is doing really well at school, his teachers are really pleased with him but there are occasions when he puts his hand up first and the other children get the answer wrong and John always has the right answer. I just wondered if you were tutoring him at home?"

"Maybe we should come and see you then, you should talk to my husband as well."

"Very good then, shall we say after school tonight?"

"Ok, I'll tell John's dad then and I'll meet him there but just one thing? What's so wrong with John knowing all the answers? Doesn't that prove the teachers are doing their jobs?"

"Yes but not all the children take things in the first time, in a test we did recently, John was the only one in his class to get all the right answers."

"Then I'd say he's been listening and doing his homework but we'll be there, say three thirty?"

Rose hung up and called Alec, who thought his worst fears were coming to light.

"I'll meet you there then shall I or do you want me to call for you love?"

"No I'll get a taxi there and you'd best tell Ellie. I'll get there for John coming out."

Alec motioned Ellie into his office and told her they would be collecting John.

"Been called to the principle's office then?" she laughed.

"Very funny Miller. Can you believe they are complaining John is paying attention and getting all the answers correct?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, if it was the other way round, they would be just as bad, it's probably nothing to worry about. Are they saying he's getting extra help?"

"So what if he is? There are plenty of websites offering extra help for children, even as young as John, what's wrong with that? I'd say that's cause to be pleased with his results, I'll not have them putting him down or holding him back."

"Maybe they want him to skip a class and go up?"

"Maybe, it wouldn't be the first time, would it?"

Alec was a little annoyed John had been singled out but it was half expected, especially after he'd said the sums were too easy so if he went up a class, it would be an advantage but he knew where this was coming from, the Timelord part of him, was that an unfair advantage? With no real father to show John what a Timelord really was, it was now up to him to tell him what he could with Rose's help. What was unfair was the boy would never know his true heritage so if John was showing signs he wanted to learn more, if it became really necessary, they would send him to a private school where the bright students were not picked on.

It did get Alec thinking though, he wasn't qualified to show the boy why he was picking things up so easily, Rose may be though but she'd said they had spent a lot of time edging their way around their feelings for each other and had barely spent any time getting romantic until a few weeks before Rose had been brought to this world so maybe the Doctor hadn't told her that much about himself.

It had been the time he'd been dreading though but for now, they had to face the school and if no satisfactory outcome could be achieved, then a private school was what it was going to have to be, Rose wasn't exactly without money though so far, they just had bought a house together and not exploited who she was.

Rose had just got out of the taxi and found a bench to sit on near the door John came out of when a few of the other mothers came along.

"Oh, hello Rose, not seen you for a while," one of them said to her.

"No, a friend's been picking John up for me since she's here anyway and my husband brings him in the mornings."

"How long have you got now?" the other woman asked her.

"A little under three months though the baby seems to want to make itself known, especially when I want to go to sleep."

"Well, it should be easier, being your second. We were all talking earlier, wondered why you'd not been around. My Carl said John's always beating everyone with the questions in class."

"So? Everyone is different, he doesn't get any help at home, he does his homework on his own, even before his dad gets home."

"Yeah, but he's not his real dad, is he? Everyone knows that. Why is it such a secret?"

"Because it's no-one's business, that's why, is it really so boring around here? I've lived here for six years, almost three of them with my husband and just because my son pays attention in class you bring that up?"

Rose hadn't seen Alec and Ellie arrive at almost the same time, Ellie reaching her first as Alec's phone had just rung.

"Hello Rose, am I interrupting something?"

"No Ellie, they were just leaving."

She waited until the two women walked off towards the door.

"What's wrong with everyone around here?" Rose asked her friend.

"Boredom, no juicy gossip. Look who finally got here."

"Talking about me were you both?" Alec asked, putting his arm around Rose and kissing her cheek, then spying the two women who were probably still talking about his wife.

He'd seen them from the car but he'd got a phone call back from the dog rescue home to say they had been approved.

"No, they were talking about us or rather me and John. What is it with people?"

"I don't know love, don't take any notice of them, they are probably annoyed there was no truth to the rumour me and Miller here were having an affair that time."

"Shut up Hardy, I don't need reminding of that," Ellie told him, looking for signs of Fred coming out.

Rose smiled. "You'd think they would have forgotten that by now, guess we'll have to give them something else to talk about then?"

Alec smiled back, he knew Rose could cause trouble when she wanted to. He saw some children coming out and soon saw John holding back, looking for his aunt Ellie, he was used to her collecting him up but when Alec stepped forward instead, the boy ran past his teacher for Alec to pick him up.

"Dad! You're here. Where's mummy?"

Alec spun around, still holding the boy. Rose waved to him.

"John, we have to go into the office so why don't you go with your aunt Ellie and play with Fred until we come for you?"

He'd already asked Ellie and she'd been only too glad to take him and get him his tea if they were going to be a while.

"Ok Daddy but why can't I come with you?"

"It's grown-up talk John, you'll have more fun playing with Fred but go give your mum a hug first, ok?"

"Yes Sir."

After hugging Rose, he went off happily with Ellie and Fred and Alec and Rose walked to the office, John's teacher, Miss Foster also being present.

Alec decided he was going to be the one to start this conversation off.

"So, why did you want to see us? You know my wife is expecting another baby soon? Why have you chosen to make an example of our son?"

"Mr Hardy, we're not trying to make an example of John, we were just wondering why this last term, he's been getting top marks on everything he's been doing, including physical activities and while he's popular with his classmates, some of the other parents are expressing their concern."

"Yes, I noticed that while I was waiting for him coming out, they were a bit hostile toward my wife."

"Yes, well that aside, we'd like to know if you are using any outside influence, tutors or suchlike."

"No," Alec objected. "He's doing it all on his own and if we were getting him any help, surely that would be to his advantage?"

"I'm sure it would but we don't encourage it, especially at John's age. If you can assure me you are using no such services then I can tell the other parents and we may have to think about putting him up a class next year."

"I'm not going to discourage him from speaking up when he knows things," Alec told her.

"No, neither am I," Rose joined in. "If it's making the other kids jealous, that's hardly his fault and anyway, it's the parents that have a problem, putting him up a class seems the best thing to do. Maybe you shouldn't wait?"

"Well, we'll wait until next term and see about it, I'll talk with the other teachers but if John goes up a class and can't keep up with it, he's going to be disappointed and we'll have to move him back down again."

"Then give him a chance to prove himself," Rose told her.

Once outside, Alec helped Rose into the car but didn't drive off.

"We need to talk about this Rose."

"Yeah, I know and up until today, I never knew we had a problem with John, he's way too advanced for his own good."

"Yes, I get that love and there's nothing I can do about it, it's going to be down to you to tell John who is real father was."

"He's too young yet Alec."

"No Rose, I don't think he is, not if it's showing in his education. He must be noticing himself that he's the only one getting everything right. You have to tell him."

Alec was afraid that when Rose did tell her son, John would no longer want to call him his dad. They went to Ellie's to collect John, who was watching TV with Fred but got up when Alec walked into the room.

"Daddy! Can I stay and play with Fred?"

"Well just a while longer while your mum and I talk to aunt Ellie."

While Ellie made some tea, she asked how the meeting had gone. Rose had told their friend a while ago about John's real father and she had been sympathetic when told he was trapped in another universe and that he'd stayed to keep this world safe. Rose had not though told her anything more, she wouldn't have believed it.


	3. Chapter 3

When they got John back home, they told him they would go to the dog rescue centre on Saturday just to look and see if there was a suitable match for them, Alec trying to explain that Rose couldn't do much during the day and they couldn't have a puppy. They never said anything to John about what they'd been told at the school and Rose was meaning to talk to Owen Harper the next day because if she told Pete, he'd probably have the head teacher replaced.

They'd been against sending John to a private school but Rose could tell Alec was on the verge of it now he'd heard it for himself that other people thought his son was too clever for his own good. If she got another opinion from Owen, they would know what they were up against but she knew Alec was far from happy about the whole situation. It hadn't been a problem up until now but they'd both known this day was coming, when John would show signs of taking after his real father.

Alec knew Rose was upset about something so when he'd put John to bed, he sat beside her when he'd moved her legs.

"We have to talk about this now Rose, we can't keep putting it off."

"I know, sorry. Those women at school, they upset me a bit that's all. They brought up the subject you're not John's real dad."

"Let them talk Rose, why should we care? They are probably the ones who complained about John beating their kids to the answers."

"Yeah, probably. I'll call Owen tomorrow, see if he can pick anything else up, I thought we were over this."

"Will we ever be over it Rose? He's going to want a lot of answers I can't give him."

"Yes you can, just be honest with him, I can't tell him much more you know. I may have travelled with his father but he never told me that much but he did tell me he was the last of the Timelords and there was no way any of them were here."

"That doesn't help Rose, now there's a part Timelord here. Have they had any luck with that project Torchwood were working on?"

"The dimension cannon? They don't talk about it much to me, why would they?"

"Maybe they don't want to worry you eh?"

"Yeah, Pete started it, he thought the Doctor should know he had a son, I chose to hide it from him when he contacted me and I've regretted it ever since. He thought I should have been honest and admitted I was pregnant but have you any idea what the Doctor would have done to get to us?"

"Yes, what any father would have done and from what you've told me, he would have stopped at nothing. It must have been a difficult decision to make, not to tell him."

"It was, trust me. I didn't make the decision lightly but what was I supposed to do? Have him collapse the two universes to be with us?"

"I know love, you did the only thing you could and being who he was, you hoped he would find his way here on his own. I suspect Pete just wanted to help speed things up."

"Yeah, it's been seven years now, who knows how many times he's changed?"

"Sorry love but if he ever does get here, you'll know him and I won't get in the way."

"What? You think I'd choose to go with him? That I've spent all this time with you, you've raised John as your own all this time and we're having our own baby and I'd risk everything if Pete said they'd really found the way back or he gets through?"

"If there's a chance Rose you have to take it love, he has to learn what he is."

"If he does, he'll be in danger Alec, you know that. Torchwood can only protect him so much, maybe it's best he doesn't know and we pass it off as him being a child genius."

"That's not fair Rose, are you trying to say you are never going to tell him?"

"Yeah I'll tell him who his father was since I can't tell him what it means and the sad thing is, there still won't be any Timelords here but that's a good thing, John won't be in any danger."

She had tried to explain to Alec that although Torchwood and Pete Tyler carried a lot of weight, the government scientists would love to get their hands on a Timelord to see how they ticked, so to speak. While a handful of aliens had made their way to this universe, some had gone back after some friendly persuasion and some had been granted permission to stay but Pete had never revealed who had helped shut down Lumic when his creations had run riot and tried to 'upgrade' the entire population.

Alec let it go and moving over, put his hand on her tummy, feeling the baby moving. What was important to him was this baby was his and Rose's, no matter if Torchwood did find a way of getting to her old universe, she would never leave him, would she? Even if it meant John knew who and what he was. Maybe she was right, it wasn't fair to put him in danger and what if his teachers thought he was clever? John wouldn't be the only child genius around here.

Almost three months later, Rose had only a few days to go, Ellie was ready to take John at any time if she had to take him home with her after school or even have him bundled up in the middle of the night if Rose was admitted to hospital early and Alec had tried to explain to the boy that his new sister would be arriving very soon and he'd be able to go to see her after school but that his mum would have to stay in a while. They had rescued a dog from the local centre, a border terrier called Scamp that John loved to chase around the garden while Rose sat on the lounger and watched them playing.

She was at home on her own one afternoon, she only had three days to go and Alec was winding up a case when Mickey called.

"Hey Rose, not long to go now eh?"

"Lucky guess Mickey. How's things?"

"Fine. Has John finished seeing Owen?"

"Yeah, a while back and we got the school sorted, finally, John's skipping a class though there were still some parents not agreeable but Alec addressed a meeting of those concerned and shamed a few of them. Not that he was using the fact he's in the police or anything."

Mickey laughed. "Yeah, he wouldn't do a thing like that, would he? Anyway, I just wanted to tell you myself, we've been getting readings for a while, from our old universe. Pete didn't want to get your hopes up."

"Now's a fine time to be telling me Mickey, since I've only got three days to go. So has anyone been?"

"Not yet, something funny was going on, the stars there were going out, then we got nothing at all, like the other world had just disappeared, then just as suddenly, it came back and so did the stars but we're still monitoring it. I bet he had something to do with it but where it all went to, we don't know, it didn't last very long. The thing is though, we think it may have left a way through, not big enough for us to get the Cybermen or anything from the void but maybe enough for him to get through, if he's spotted it."

"When was that?"

"A few days ago but who knows how long that was in their terms? You know how everything's messed up. I just wanted to warn you, in case he does show up and you don't recognise him, that's all."

"Alec and I finally got over discussing this Mickey, he thinks if the Doctor shows up, he'll want to take John with him."

"He'd never do that to you Rose."

"Alec isn't so certain Mickey, he's been very edgy the last few days now the baby's due. He's not been right since the school started taking notice how clever John is."

"Yeah, how's that going?"

"He's skipping a year, like I said and he's looking forward to it. Just let any of the older kids try to bully him, Alec will line the whole class up and give them a lecture."

"Yeah, I'd love to see that," Mickey chuckled.

"Anyway, I'd best not say anything to him about this, he's bad enough as it is and the chances the Doctor will come here, well they're pretty remote. If anyone goes there and finds him, tell them not to say anything other than I'm well."

"Ok, if that's what you want Rose."

It wasn't really but what was she supposed to do about it? If the Doctor did make it here and came looking for her, he could be mad at her for keeping the fact from him that he had a son but he'd never take the boy away from her. He'd want to stay and teach him and that would drive Alec away for good because he was that kind of man but he wouldn't go without a fight. She hoped it would never come to that, even if the Doctor did find her.

On the day she was due, Alec had dropped John at school and gone back for Rose then she was admitted to the maternity ward. They'd tried to tell Alec for her to wait at home but he was having none of it though Rose was quite amused how seriously he was taking it all. By mid afternoon, her pains were getting stronger and she was trying to rest when a nurse came in and called Alec outside.

"Sorry but there's someone wanting to see Rose, says he's her doctor."

Alec was not aware Pete had sent anyone to oversee the birth, considering the baby was all human. Then it dawned on him. He followed the nurse outside onto the ward to see an older man in a black suit leaning against the wall. He looked in Alec's direction.

"You must be Alec Hardy then," he stated in a Scottish voice.

"Yes and you must be the Doctor. Who told you where we were?"

"Mickey the idiot, who else? How's Rose?"

"She's fine, she's resting, they gave her something for the pain. Why are you here, now?"

"Did Mickey not tell you?" he asked, leading Alec to a corner so no-one would overhear the unusual conversation.

"Tell me what?"

"Oh, he didn't did he? He must have told Rose but something happened, a while back and it left a gap. After that, I regenerated again and I felt that I should just leave Rose to get on with her life but recently, well I think this may well be my last chance to see her so I contacted Mickey, he told me she got married, to a man who I used to look like, you do know that, don't you?"

"Yes, she told me. I'll let you see her then you leave her be."

"Of course I will, you have nothing to worry about from me Alec. Lead the way."

He led the Doctor to Rose's room, she still had her eyes closed.

"Rose, sweetheart, wake up, you have a visitor."

"Alec? Have you let Ellie bring John? What time is it?"

"Who's John?" a Scottish voice asked her.

Rose was suddenly fully awake. "What? Who are you? Doctor?"

"Yes Rose, it's me. Who's John?"

Alec sat beside his wife. "John is Rose's son, before I met her. I adopted him when we got married."

Alec still didn't know if Rose wanted to tell this man who John really was but now she was faced with it, her regret would catch up with her.

"Alec, it's ok, you can tell him. Doctor, John is your six year old son. I couldn't tell you, that day on the beach, I hid it from you because you said the universes would collapse if I tried to touch you and I couldn't put two worlds in danger, knowing you'd stop at nothing if you knew. Alec, show him the photos on your phone please. Doctor, there was something wrong with him and Alec saved his life, that's how we met."

"I see, then I should thank you Alec."

The Doctor looked at the photos of John on his own, with the dog and with Rose and Alec on their last holiday in Scotland. He handed the phone back and Alec got up.

"I'll leave you to talk then, I'll be right outside. Press the button if you think anything's about to happen love."

"Yeah, I will. You can stay though, if you want?"

"No, this is between you and him Rose, I'm not part of this."

He went outside to find the vending machine and got a drink, sitting down on one of the chairs. This was it. Three years of his life with Rose and John, all about to come to an end. If the Doctor offered to take her back with him, she would surely go, John didn't belong in this world, he was meant to have stayed with Rose and his real father but she'd often told him that he was the only father John had known. He was in turmoil and in there, they were taking about his adopted son, what was best for him and even though she'd said she didn't want to tell the boy, she would change her mind now.

He finished his drink and got his phone out.

"Miller, I'm still at the hospital so can John stay with you?"

"Yeah, when I've picked him up, no worries. Any news yet?"

"No, I think they'll give her a few more hours then start her off, I'll call you."

He had no intentions. Despite them looking forward to their own baby, he knew the right thing was to just make it easy for her so he got up and told the nurse at the desk he'd be back soon.

Rose and the Doctor had plenty to talk about, she told him about John being ill and Alec being the matching donor and how they'd fallen in love but the Doctor knew she would never leave her husband and he was happy for her.

"Rose, I know you did what was best for our son, you always loved that face when I looked like Alec. I'd like to meet John, one day."

"Are you going to stay here?"

"I can't but I'll be back, soon. I'll send that husband of yours back in shall I? I wish you'd told me that day."

"I didn't know how to. Are you ok, with him not knowing who he really is?"

"Rose, there can't be any Timelords in this universe, it was never meant to be and John being here, well he'd grow up like me, all alone and he wouldn't ever get any rest from it, we can't put him through that."

"Yeah, it wouldn't be fair but I'll make sure he knows who you were, he's so bright, he's going up another class at school."

"That's good then. Take care Rose and I know I never said it last time but I'll always love you."

"You too, did you ever find someone?"

"No, you were a tough act to follow, Rose Tyler or should I say Rose Hardy?"

There was but he was never going to tell her, how could he?

"Bye then and come back and see John."

She knew he wouldn't, which made her sad. The Doctor said goodbye and went back outside, seeing Alec was missing. What was the man playing at? Alec was at home, packing a few things for when Rose came out of hospital, she'd surely just rush to the Tardis and not bother packing after she'd got Miller to bring John to her. He sat on the edge of their bed, the bed they'd spent many a time making love on and in, snuggling up under the duvet and him trying to keep her quiet, which had been rather difficult.

Rose was wondering where he'd got to so she called the nurse.

"He said he'd be back soon Rose, don't worry, he's probably pacing up and down outside, they tend to get nervous. Do you have other children?"

"Yeah, a boy, he's six but he's still at school, unless my friend's picked him up."

She hadn't realised the time so picking her phone up, she pressed the button to call Alec. He saw Rose's picture come up but left it, it was only her saying she was leaving after the birth. She wouldn't let John go on his own and she would never leave him to raise the baby on his own. He'd go drop a bag off for her then leave, give notice on the house. Rose wondered why he wasn't picking up unless there was no reception where he was. Alec thought he would just stay out of her way, spare the both of them.

An hour later, Rose was screaming in pain, more so from shouting she wanted her husband but the staff had tried the house phone as well and he wasn't answering.

"Please, use my phone and call my friend, she'll go round and get him. I'm not having this baby until he gets here."

"Rose, the baby isn't going to wait much longer, we'll have to deliver her soon or she'll be in distress."

The nurse picked up the phone, Ellie answered.

"Rose, what are you doing calling me sweetheart?"

"It's Nurse Johnson, do you know where Mr Hardy is?"

"He's not at the hospital? Idiot, where is he then?"

"He's not answering his mobile or their home phone. Rose asked if you could go round?"

"I will, right now. Tom, you're in charge until I get back, I have to go find John's dad."

The nurse turned to a red-faced Rose, grimacing at another contraction.

"She's gone to find him."

Ellie drove off around to Rose and Alec's house, Alec's car was at the side of his wife's. She knocked on the door and shouted, "Hardy, get out of there now," when he didn't answer after she rang the doorbell twice and knocked loud three more times.

He'd heard his DS and realised he'd been sat on the bed for longer than he'd thought. He went down and opened the door.

"What do you want Miller?"

"For you to get your ass to the hospital, what the hell are you doing here?"

"He came back Miller, it's over."

"Who came back? John's real father?"

"Yes and as soon as she can leave hospital, she'll take John and the baby and go with him."

"What? Are you completely insane? Why would she do something like that? You're his dad now, the only one he's known."

"She doesn't need me any more Miller, go away."

"No, I won't go away so you get in that car, go back to the hospital and watch your baby daughter come into the world because you're such an idiot that you don't realise how much Rose loves you, whether he's come back or not. How would you feel if you didn't get to see the baby? As bad as John's dad? Rose wouldn't want that."

"Why see my daughter if she's going to go away with her?"

"Have you heard yourself? Get to that hospital right now and stop being like a spoiled brat who had their toys taken away. Go on, go tell her you love her before that baby comes."

Ellie turned around when she heard a strange noise behind her and stared in disbelief at the sight of a telephone box that was blue and had 'Police' on it. The Doctor stepped out, he'd had a feeling Alec had run off and he'd been right.

"Alec, what are you still doing here? Hello, you must be Rose's friend, I'm the Doctor."

"Yeah? Nice to meet you but can you help me get this idiot back to his wife before the baby starts school?"

"Alec, whatever you think, Rose is not coming with me. That face you have, that was the one she fell in love with when we travelled together, I'm not like that any more, in case you'd not noticed? Now go, before it's too late. I'm leaving, I trust you to bring up my son, you'll always be his dad but just do one thing? Have a fantastic life with Rose and your family."

Alec heard his phone ringing – again. It was Rose's number. He pressed the button to hear an "Alec, get your ass here now or so help me, you can forget having any more kids," as Rose screamed down the phone. "This baby ain't gonna wait any longer, I love you so you'd better appear in front of me in five minutes."

It was a ten minute drive to the hospital. "Right, Rose, I'm sorry love but I'll be right there."

"You'd better be."

He looked at the Doctor, coming out and locking the door behind him. Why had he been so stupid as to think she'd go off with someone else?

"Come on then, I can get you there quicker than you can drive man," the Doctor laughed.

"Oh, I've got to see this," Ellie grinned.

"Hadn't you better get back to the boys Miller?" Alec grinned, following the Doctor.

The Doctor had explained to Rose how he'd got the Tardis, under protest, to work in this universe so as Alec was staring at the interior, the Doctor set off for their destination, landing in a storage room he'd also landed in earlier but this time, Rose heard the sound of the Tardis and let go of the nurse that was holding her hand.

"I think my husband will be here any second now, thanks," she smiled, the other nurse telling her to push again as she could see the baby's head.

Alec appeared in the doorway after thanking the Doctor.

"Were you waiting for me darlin'?" Alec asked, going up to her but first seeing the baby's head.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Nowhere love, now are you ready to bring our daughter into the world?"

The End!


End file.
